Rossini: Sonate a Quattro & Bottesini: Gran Duo (2CD)

In the summer of 1804, while on a summer holiday in the village of Conventello near Ravenna, Rossini then aged twelve, composed his six "Sonate a quattro" for two violins, cello and double-bass. Known also in orchestrated versions as the "String Sonatas", they are rarer in these original versions. Together with musicians with whom he has worked closely, Salvatore Accardo recorded these in 1978 in Switzerland. Three smaller Rossini works complete the disc which is then filled out by the more extensive "Gran Duo Concertante" for violin, double-bass and strings by Dragonetti’s successor as king of the double bassists, Giovanni Bottesini.

TRACK LIST

CD 1*
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
Sonata a quattro No. 1 in G major
Sonata a quattro No. 2 in A major
Sonata a quattro No. 3 in C major
Sonata a quattro No. 4 in B flat major
Sonata a quattro No. 5 in E flat major

CD 2
Sonata a quattro No. 6 in D major*

Salvatore Accardo, violin
Sylvie Gazeau, violin
Alain Meunier, cello
Franco Petracchi, double bass

Duetto for Cello and Double-bass in D major*

Alain Meunier, cello
Franco Petracchi, double bass

Un mot à Paganini for Violin and Piano*

Salvatore Accardo, violin
Bruno Canino, piano

Une larme (arranged for Double-Bass and Piano)*
Franco Petracchi, double bass
Bruno Canino, piano

GIOVANNI BOTTESINI
Gran Duo Concertante for Violin, Double-bass and Strings

Luciano Vicari, violin
Lucio Buccarella, double-bass
I Musici

*FIRST INTERNATIONAL RELEASE ON DECCA CD